Game-apparatus.



E. G. CARTER.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION PILEDMARJI, 1909.

1,040,144, Patented 0ct.1, 1912.

#7 1 3 1 Fig.3. I

v -2 WITNESSES: & INVENTOR g 7;; V M (A Edward G, Carin:

1 4% A 4 By ATTORNE Y5 EDWARD e. CARTER, or-NEwroaK, N. Y.

GAME APPARA S.

Specification of Letterslat'ent.

Patented 0a. 1, 19 2.

Application filedMarcli 11, 1909; Serial No. 482,685.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, and. a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to game apparatus and more particularly to. apparatus de-u signed as a toy baseball game, or other game apparatus.

The main object of my invention is to provide a device with which the game of baseball may be simulated.

A further object is to so construct and arrange the device that success in the use thereof will be due to the skill of the players and not merely to chance or luck.

In carrying out my invention I providea game board in which is located a spirally arranged groove or runway representing the base lines of a baseball field and in'said runway a number of cavities or pockets are formed so that a ball or marble given an initial velocity by any suitable means will be caused to travel in said runway and either come to rest in one of the pockets or progressively pass over them to reach the further ones.

My invention consists in the arrangement of a game board as hereinafter more-pan ticularly described and then specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a game board constructed in accordance with the preferred form of carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line X X Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line Y Y Fig. 1.

Preferably for convenience in construction, I form the game board proper of two boards, one superimposed on the other, in which 1 indicates the base board which is preferably flat. Another board 2 preferably of the same size as the base board 1 haspa spirally arranged slot 3 formed therein and is placed on top of the board 1 and secured thereto in any desired manner. The .bottom board 1 preferably forms a base for the slot 3 whereby a runway is formed inthe face of the game board proper. 4 indicates cavities or pockets formed in the v, lower board 1 and in line with the runway 3. There might be any desired number of these a ities or. pockets formed within the runway .and they might be equal or unequal distances'f aparabut preferably I provide four of them to represent the three bases and the home plate of a baseball field.

Preferably atthe inner end of the runway" 3 I provide a striker 5 which is adapted to strike the ball" or marble 6 located in the runway3 and project it with avelocit-y varylng with the amount of force given to the striker 5. The striker 5 reciprocates within the runway 3 and is guided in its travel by the sides; of the runway and also by straps 7 which serve to also keep it from rising" out of the runway. The inner end of therunway 3 terminates in an enlarged opening or cavity 8 and the striker 5 projects rear wardly into this enlarged. openingandterminates in a thumb or finger 9.

10 indicates a spring compressed between a collar 11 secured to the striker 5 and a fixed post or guide 12 throughwhich the striker loosely passes. Obviously when the strikerfi: is drawn back by means of the thumb-piece 9, the spring 10 will be com pressed and when the striker is released the .spring will? cause it to advance with con-.

siderable force and project. the ball or marble 6. The forward movement of the striker isf limited by the collar 11 striking a shoulder 18 at the end of the runway.

I do not limit myself to any particular means for causing the striker 5 to be impelled sharply forward, such as the spring 10, but it will be understood that any de sired manner of attaining this end might be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In using the device, the ball or marble 6 is placed in the runway 3 against the end of the striker 5. The striker is drawn back and then released, and, owing to the spring 10, strikes the ball 6 sharply and pro ects it forward on its travel. around the runway.

The skill of the player manifests itself. by

his ability to make the ball stop in any desired. one of the cavities or pockets 4 to represent a single base hit, a two base hit, athree-base hit or a home run. According Obviously, if desirable, the base of the runway 8 might be inclined toward the striker 5 at or near the end of the groove as indicated at 15 sothat the ball or marble 6 will always rest against the end of the striker when drawn back although this might be dispensed with and the base remain flat.

My lnventlon may be sub ect to various modificatlons 1n form and construction wlthout departing from the spirit thereof, the

main idea being that the pockets or cavities representing bases are located direct in the path of travel of the ball which has to pass over one to reach the other.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited in its use to simulate a game of baseball, but the device might be usedfor other games operating on the same principle as above described.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a horizontal game board having a run:

way with unbroken sides to guide the object used in playing the game and means for projecting the object to cause it to continuously travel in said runway, said object being imthereof, whereby the ball used in playing the game will be impeded in its continuous travel and will also be compelled to enter and pass over the first pockets by its own velocity to reach the subsequent ones and a striker for projecting the ball.

8. In a game apparatus, the combination of a gameboard having a spiral runway provided with unbroken sides and a base and pockets formed in the base of said runway in progressive line with each other whereby the ball with which the game is played will be impeded in its continuous travel in said runway and will have to progressively enter and pass over said pockets in continuous travel to reach the subsequent ones and a spring actuating striker adapted to propel the ball.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a game board, provided with a spiral runway having continuous parallel sides and a base, a spring actuated striker located at the inner end'of said runway and adapted to propel the object with which the game is played to cause it to travel outwardly in said runway, said runway being also provided with pockets in the base thereof, said pockets impeding the ball in its continuous travel in said runway, and said pockets being progressively met and passed over by said ob-i ject inits travel.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 10th day of March A. D. 1909.

EDWARD G. CARTER. lVitnesses:

EDWARD M. J ELLINEK, IRENE LErKowrrz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

